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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25673527">5 Times Marinette Surprised Chat Noir and 1 Time She Surprised Herself</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashingHeights/pseuds/DashingHeights'>DashingHeights</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>"captures", 5 times trope, F/M, Fluff, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Marichat, Marinette is Chat Noir's biggest fan, Pre-Relationship, Rated T for language, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, cataclysm akuma captures, constantyl advocating for Chat Noir's usefulness, only at the beginning, original akuma villains, second only to my simp ass, slight angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:49:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,085</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25673527</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashingHeights/pseuds/DashingHeights</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a 5 Times trope that kept rattling around my brain. Needed to get it out before I could continue writing for Feeding Stray Cats - which you should totally read. If you like Marinette trying her damndest to convince people (including him) that Chat Noir is cooler than Ladybug, this fic is for you.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, marichat - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>305</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>5 Times Marinette Surprised Chat Noir and 1 Time She Surprised Herself</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I had to hold my arm at an odd angle while writing the last few thousand words of this because I got a new tattoo and it’s right on the inside of my wrist. It’s of a certain green paw print. Yeah, I’m that bitch now. Also, before any of y’all come for me about Chat Noir fighting an akuma by himself, Ladybug has done it multiple times so don’t tell me it couldn’t happen cuz it totally could.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>1: The Rain Dance</strong>
</p>
<p>The rain was heavy that night. The weekly forecast had predicted light showers, which held true until Friday; which, of course, because that was the night of the ball in honor of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Every few months, the mayor had to suck up to them in some extravagant way. Maybe it was unfair to think of it like that, but honestly, it seemed more like he was showing off than actually thanking the superheroes. They were just a convenient excuse and an extra attraction to encourage more folks to attend. Chat knew Ladybug also shared that opinion because they’d briefly joked about it to each other after each event. However, the black cat didn’t really expect Ladybug to skip one.</p>
<p>He could’ve been sitting on the roof. Maybe that would’ve been smarter, in fact. But the fat raindrops pattering the concrete balcony were less than inviting. Even where he was huddled, against the building under a shallow awning, his boots were still catching heavy droplets. It was probably stupid of him to pout about Ladybug missing the ball. It wasn’t like they went together for any reason other than they were both invited. Most of it was his pathetic crush on her, yes. But a surprisingly significant part of it was also the fact that… the people simply didn’t like him as much without Ladybug around. He wasn’t as impressive. He wasn’t as important. All anybody had asked him all night was where she was at, and when he didn’t have an answer, they lost interest in talking to him. Being a hero wasn’t about fame and that wasn’t why he did it, but it still hurt to know he was the remarkably inferior half of their duo.</p>
<p>Green eyes narrowed and unfocused, his ears twitched with the sounds of rain and the blasting music he could hear even through the thick walls. The crowd probably didn’t even notice he left. He was thinking about going home when a pair of black, puzzlingly dry Mary Janes entered his vision. Chat Noir blinked, forcing himself back to the present as he glanced up at this newcomer. Bright blue eyes stared back at him, raven hair down and styled, a simple, black party dress she probably made complimenting the dry shoes she was wearing.</p>
<p>
  <em>Dry.</em>
</p>
<p>“Chat Noir?” Marinette tipped her head in concern, brow furrowing as she gripped her umbrella tighter. He recognized it as the one Adrien had given her the day they met. He was surprised she’d kept it all this time, and apparently still used it. “Hey, Marinette,” He managed to greet her after swallowing the lump he didn’t realize was forming in his throat. She glanced towards the doorway leading inside, shifting her feet, “What are you doing out here?” Well, wasn’t that the million-dollar question? What was he doing out there? Sulking. Brooding. “Just taking a breather,” He shrugged dismissively, adjusting his lean and propping his foot up on the wall behind him. His arms were crossed, shoulders hunched around his neck. His voice was unconvincing even to his own feline ears.</p>
<p>He should know better than to try and deceive Marinette, though. She cocked an eyebrow, frowning deeply, but didn’t call him out. “What are <em>you</em> doing out here?” He countered in an attempt to direct the attention away from himself, “I didn’t see you come in earlier.”</p>
<p>“I just got here a little bit ago,” The bluenette explained, rubbing her eye, “I was helping my parents and couldn’t come until now. But, uh.. honestly, I don’t know why I even came.” Not true. She came because she was hoping in her heart of hearts that Adrien would magically be able to. He never attended the Ladybug and Chat Noir honor events, but she could dream. Usually it didn’t matter because Ladybug was going and Marinette wouldn’t be able to hang out, anyway. This time, she was happy to volunteer at the bakery longer than normal because she was getting tired of pretending to enjoy these parties.</p>
<p>To an extent, she came to be with Alya and Nino, as well. But ever since they’d started dating, she felt more and more like a third wheel; especially at events like this. Maybe Ladybug <em>should</em> have showed up. Then at least she could hang out with her partner; she selfishly hadn’t thought about if it would disappoint him. Chat Noir was looking at her curiously, “Don’t you have friends inside? Why wouldn’t you come?” Marinette sighed through her nose, leaning against the wall beside him and holding the umbrella so it covered them both, “Ah.. Yeah, I do. It’s just that.. I know they don’t mean it, but Alya and Nino can get pretty distracted by each other. And without our fourth friend around, I’m sort of.. left out.”</p>
<p>Adrien hadn’t even thought of that. If he’d known Ladybug wasn’t going to be there, he definitely would have gone as himself if only to keep Marinette company. Chat Noir pursed his lips and shifted his weight just enough to lean their shoulders together, “Guess we’re both left out in the rain, then, huh?” Marinette was reminded of that night on her balcony when he’d approached her with a hurting heart because Ladybug had stood him up then, too. And when she’d shared her own heartache over not getting to share Andre’s ice cream with Adrien, he was more than willing to cheer her up. She allowed the lean, even returning it some, but shook her head at him, “You’re a superhero, you have adoring fans in there! So again, what are you doing <em>out here</em>?”</p>
<p>Something about what she said made him wince. This couldn’t only be about Ladybug, could it? Usually Chat liked civilian events because he got to talk to people. He was charismatic and enthusiastic about this stuff, in stark contrast to Ladybug’s reserved, tolerant demeanor. This was only the second time she’d ever seen him downtrodden and it was worrying. He rubbed his chin. It took so long for him to answer that Marinette thought he might ignore the question entirely. But he did eventually mumble, “Sometimes I forget that I can’t stand on my own like Ladybug can. Those people aren’t fans of Chat Noir.. they’re fans of <em>Ladybug and</em> Chat Noir. And I know that shouldn’t matter, but I still have feelings, you know? I just wish they’d hide it better..”</p>
<p>Marinette didn’t know what to say, mouth hung agape with clear stupefaction. She’d never taken the time to think about it, which immediately filled her with incredible guilt. It didn’t make sense in her mind. Ladybug was nothing without Chat Noir! Surely the public knew that… right?</p>
<p>“Well that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” She scoffed indignantly, drawing a bewildered eyebrow raise from the black cat beside her. “Huh?” He blinked as she pushed off the wall. Her hands restlessly twisted the umbrella handle as she huffed, “You don’t need Ladybug around to be relevant. I mean, you’re way cooler than her, anyway. What kind of hero doesn’t show up to their own party?” Chat was looking at her like she’d grown a second head, his mouth working but no sound coming out. Obviously, he wasn’t going to agree, both because he would never bash Ladybug and because he actually was quite humble when it came to outside compliments. He could talk himself up all day, but as soon as someone else chimed in, he couldn’t accept it.</p>
<p>They stared at each other for several minutes, Marinette maintaining that she meant what she said and Chat with a dusting of pink just visible under his mask. Eventually, his eyes wandered away from hers, down to the ground where the rain still beat away at the concrete. How did they end up in this situation twice? Marinette again thought back to when the cat hero was so willing to temporarily ignore his own sorrow just to make her smile. Maybe her other friends were busy enjoying themselves elsewhere, but she had one right here in front of her who needed that courtesy returned.</p>
<p>The music softened, becoming something smoother. The bluenette glanced out at the wet world around them and set her jaw in determination. She folded her umbrella, allowing the rain to soak into her exposed skin and the fabric of her dress. Chat Noir watched her curiously as she opened a window next to them, allowing the music to drift better. The umbrella was abandoned on the windowsill as Marinette once again stood in front of the black cat, her hands outstretched, palms up. Her smile was warm as she asked, “Would you do me the honor of granting me a dance, Chat Noir?” His posture straightened, green eyes widening in surprise. When he took her hands, he had the tiniest ghost of a smile on his lips and Marinette couldn’t have asked for anything greater.</p>
<p>In the unrelenting downpour, they turned in rhythm, making use of the whole balcony space because why shouldn’t they? Marinette couldn’t care that her hair was soaked when Chat Noir was spinning her with such glee. She thought she caught him humming once or twice, but it was hard to tell between the music and the rain. They came to a stop with the song fading out, their hands clasped and held up on either side of them. They were maybe a foot apart, blue eyes holding green with a weird kind of enchantment. A raindrop rolled down the bluenette’s temple and the black cat wiped it away, careful not to scrape her with his claws. He cleared his throat, “Um.. Marinette-“</p>
<p>There was a perfect moment of silence, a space between the pounding rain and the switching of songs, in which a camera shutter sounded. The pair stiffened, arms dropping by their sides and gazes snapping over to the doorway. Alya, Juleka, and Mylene’s faces were comically leaned around the doorframe, glaring at Rose who was standing in plain sight with her phone still raised. “Rose!” Alya hissed as Juleka facepalmed and Mylene shook her head in disappointment. Marinette’s eye twitched as she processed the situation. Chat Noir was relatively unphased, albeit mildly startled by the appearance of people when he thought they were having a private moment.</p>
<p>“You better delete that!” Marinette suddenly scrambled towards her friends, poor Rose freezing up at the sight. Juleka slipped the phone from her friend’s hands and held it out of Marinette’s reach, Mylene and Alya blocking her from scaling the tall girl. “I’m serious, that’s not funny!” She almost sounded angry, “were you guys spying? That’s so rude!”</p>
<p>“Girl, chill!” Alya lifted her bestie by the waist and drug her back out into the rain, laughing. Marinette wiggled out of her hold and flipped her hair out of her face, snorting irritably, “That can’t get posted anywhere, Alya!” Juleka handed Rose’s phone back to her as she assured the bluenette, “Nobody’s posting anything, Marinette, we promise.” Mylene nodded with a small giggle, “We just thought you’d want to see how cool you looked dancing in the rain like that.”</p>
<p>Until that point, Marinette had forgotten Chat was also involved. She turned on her heels to see he’d disappeared, probably to go home or maybe sulk somewhere he couldn’t be disturbed. “Were you guys gonna kiss?” Rose asked excitedly, earning snickers from the other girls. Marinette bristled in embarrassment, “Wh-What? I-.. No! Why would I kiss Chat Noir?” Alya patted her shoulder, “I mean, you were staring pretty intensely. And, you know, literally dancing in the rain.” The bluenette grunted and folded her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling the chill that comes with being soaked. She glanced back to the awning the cat hero had originally been leaning under, frowning. “Marinette?” Juleka brushed at her hair fringe, “you okay?”</p>
<p>She didn’t answer, instead furrowing her brow and looking out over the streets of Paris with worry. The other girls followed her gaze but didn’t see whatever she was looking at – or for. With a deep sigh, Marinette admitted, “He said he can’t stand on his own like Ladybug can.. and that just.. bothers me.” Glances were exchanged unbeknownst to her. Later that night, she’d realize she forgot her umbrella on the balcony. But even later, after she returned home, she’d find it on her desk with a note that read: <em>Thank you for the dance</em>.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>2: Black Cat Fan Club</strong>
</p>
<p>Whenever Ladybug did something unexpected – or in this case, didn’t do something that was expected – it was always the talk of the city. Article after blog after theory post was speculating as to why the spotted superhero would forego an event such as the mayor’s celebration party. She had never missed one before, so why was this one different? Usually, any hype would die down after a few days, but this was going on a week strong. Marinette had been tired of it after the first hour. Not only was it aggravating to keep up the act of intrigue so as not to seem suspicious, but after her talk with Chat Noir, she couldn’t help but notice that none of the media was mentioning <em>he</em> was still in attendance.</p>
<p>
  <em>I can’t stand on my own like Ladybug can.</em>
</p>
<p>The more it repeated in her mind, the more she noticed how true it was, the more she hated it. She briefly tried to explain it to her friends, but they shrugged it off as trivial, which only fueled her irritation. Maybe she shouldn’t be this upset over it; after all, it didn’t really affect her. Except it did because Chat Noir was her friend and she had to live with the knowledge that her friend was regarded as lesser than her by the general public. That just didn’t sit right. The solution she came up with was less of a solution and more of an impulsive, determined need to stick it to the man. It took three days of sewing, her fingers hurt, she’d barely slept, but she was finished. Thankfully, enamel pieces were easy to order and quick to ship, so by the time she was ready to unveil her dastardly masterpiece of a plan, she had everything together.</p>
<p>Marinette strolled into school with a box in her arms, whistling idly as she passed fellow students. Eyes were drawn to her. The box was a relatively common sight, but the jacket she adorned was not. She’d spent a long time coming up with the perfect design for a Chat Noir hoodie. Black with a green paw print was too obvious, too cliché. She wanted something that had more effort put into it. The fleece inner lining had to be special ordered with her own, custom pattern. She thought the soft green with little black paws was endearing enough, coupled with the same pattern on the hem and sleeves. The strings were gold with little bell charms hanging from them. The jingling as she walked was kind of satisfying.</p>
<p>Entering the classroom, her classmates greeted her with surprise. “What are you wearing?” Was the first thing out of Alya’s mouth. Marinette didn’t answer until she’d set her package on the desk, tapping her fingers on the top of it. “You like it?” She asked, half turning to show off more of the design. “I mean, of course,” Her redheaded bestie laughed, “but what’s it for?”</p>
<p>“it’s for me,” Marinette raised an eyebrow as if that should have been obvious. Other students were gathering now as she carefully opened the box in front of her. Rose peaked over the side and squealed excitedly at the t-shirts within. They were the opposite of the hoodie, with the patterned fabric taking up most of the design except the hems and sleeves, which were black. “Are you doing a fundraiser or something?” Juleka inquired, leaning over her shorter friends. Marinette shook her head, hands on her hips and a grin on her face, “Nope! They’re free. You want one?” Several confirmations were murmured. Sizes were passed around to those who wanted a shirt, as well as a few keychains and pins. Alya leaned on the desk with a skeptical smirk on her lips, “So what, you’re starting a fan club?”</p>
<p>“Exactly,” Marinette grinned back, undeterred by the teasing. Adrien, who’d been eerily silent up until that point, blurted incredulously, “For Chat Noir? Why?” He did not expect the seething glare that very briefly crossed the bluenette’s kind features. The girls who’d been present the night of the rain dance glanced around at each other as Marinette explained, “Because he doesn’t have one, and he should.” She held up a t-shirt, letting it unfold so the full design was visible in front of her. “You want one or not?” She was… almost challenging him to decline, he realized. As if he would, what kind of nonsense would that be? He took the shirt without a word. “Well, fan clubs need a president!” Came a voice from the back of the room. Lila hurried forward to accept her own shirt, which Marinette forced herself to be okay with because, the more the merrier in this situation. “Yeah, I thought about that,” The bluenette confirmed, producing a small, square box from her pocket. She opened it to reveal a replica of Chat Noir’s miraculous – with a few details wrong on purpose, of course. Couldn’t be too obvious.</p>
<p>Lila’s pupils dilated and Marinette didn’t like that one bit. “I mean, Chat Noir is my favorite superhero ever,” Lila lied. Of course it was a lie, she’d been hellbent on convincing everyone she was friends with ladybug before, she couldn’t care less about Chat. But nobody else put that together, apparently, because Mylene looked to her and asked, “Really? This must be the best day ever for you!” Lila nodded fervently, reaching for the ring box. Marinette snapped it shut and held it tight against her chest, lips pursed, “Well, we should really <em>vote </em>on a president, don’t you think?” She almost, <em>almost </em>wished Chloe would get involved to counter Lila, but she knew better. Chloe was not shy about her preference for Ladybug, no way she would want to be president of a Chat Noir fan club. The spoiled blonde hadn’t even glanced at them this entire time.</p>
<p>“Oh, you’re right, of course,” Lila agreed in that sickly innocent tone, “sorry, I’m just really excited about this! I think it’s a great idea, Marinette.” It was all the bluenette could do not to sneer at her. “I’ll nominate Lila!” Rose cheerily exclaimed, followed by a couple people agreeing. Marinette dreaded having to hand this ring over to that lying vixen, but she was struggling to think of something to argue with. Alya was too obvious of a Ladybug fan, Juleka and Mylene would never agree to step into any kind of spotlight.  She felt like everything was closing in on her, her good idea backfiring as Lila’s expectant gaze bored down on her. A hand reached out for the box.</p>
<p>“Hang on a minute,” Adrien stood from his seat, brow furrowed, “Marinette was the one who spent her free time making all this stuff. She’s the one founding the club, she’s the one who thought of the ring. Why wouldn’t she be the president?” His words were met with little debate. Juleka blew a strand of hair out of her face, “Actually, yeah, I agree with Adrien.” Alya put an arm around her best friend’s shoulders, “I’ll third that notion. I mean, I know you’re not interested in Ladybug stuff, I kinda suspected you liked Chat Noir better for a while.”</p>
<p>“Y-You did?” Marinette was genuinely surprised. She hadn’t meant for that to be the consequence of avoiding discussing Ladybug, but it was probably the best one she could get. There were some chuckles around her and a couple more voices putting in their vote for Marinette as club president. Lila looked disheartened, masking her fury, no doubt. But she relented gracefully, as to keep up her image, “Oh, alright. I didn’t realize you were such a big fan of him, too. Sorry for stepping on your toes there.”</p>
<p>Adrien let out a sigh of relief. He really didn’t want Lila parading around as president of Chat’s fan club, especially not when Marinette was the clear deserver of that title. Before the ball, he actually hadn’t known she was even a fan. He still got confusing butterflies thinking about her asking him to dance in the rain. He was disappointed he didn’t get to properly thank her for that.</p>
<p>“Well, put the ring on!” Rose cut into his thoughts, leaning on the desk towards Marinette. She carefully opened the little box and looked at the well-crafted replica for a second. Adrien silently held his breath as she took it in her hand and slid it onto her right ring finger. “Oh, um, that’s the wrong finger though,” Lila pointed out in what was supposedly an attempt to be helpful. “No, it’s not,” Marinette and Adrien said in unison, glancing at each other in surprise. Before anyone could start arguing, Alya held up a hand and quickly Googled a few photos. “She’s got it right,” The redhead confirmed, “right ring finger.” Lila stiffened for a moment, then looked to Marinette’s hand and laughed, “Oh! I’m sorry, sometimes my eyes play tricks on me. I thought you put it on your middle finger.” A likely story.</p>
<p>Marinette sank into her seat with a long sigh, the rest of her classmates migrating back to their own. “Hey, Marinette?” Adrien drew her attention as he settled down himself. She looked to him and fidgeted with her fingers, “Yeah?”</p>
<p>“I think Chat Noir would really appreciate this,” He hoped it sounded as sincere as he meant for it to. She blushed lightly, smiling, and let out a small, breathy, “I sure hope so.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>3: Marinette Might Actually Be Crazy</strong>
</p>
<p>Hawk Moth must have had a lot of free time on his hands. Just this week, they’d faced four brand-new akumas, each somehow deadlier than the last. For this fight, Ladybug had brought Rena Rouge and Carapace in for backup. She’d already used her lucky charm, but stupidly lost it in the flying debris. This villain liked to throw things, that was for sure. She was barely able to get out of sight before her miraculous gave out and her transformation dropped; ducking under a nearby collapsed wall was a little too close for comfort, but it would have to do. Marinette tried to peak out to see what was going on but flinched back into hiding at the sound of a heavy crash.</p>
<p>Tikki hadn’t yet finished her macaroon when hurried footsteps approached their hiding place. The kwami zipped into Marinette’s purse just as Chat Noir scrambled under the make-shift shelter to her left. “Marinette?” He looked a mixture of horrified and bewildered, “what the hell are you doing out here? You should be inside somewhere!” She struggled to answer, stammering over her words, but then she noticed he was hunched over and holding his side. “Oh my god, are you hurt?” She scooted over to see. He winced as he peeled his hand off a gash across his ribs, dripping blood onto the ground. “I’m fine, I just need a second,” The black cat insisted, reapplying pressure and leaning his head to see the fight, “I got clipped by a flying car door, that’s all.”</p>
<p>“<em>That’s all</em>?” Marinette parroted in disbelief. She hadn’t seen him get hit. Had it just barely happened or was she really that oblivious to the wellbeing of her partner? Sure, usually she was focused on finding where the akuma was, but she liked to think she wasn’t that unobservant. After this was over, she would have to ask Rena and Carapace if they saw him take a car door to the side.</p>
<p>Their shelter trembled as something hit the already-crumbling roof of it. Marinette realized too late that it was coming down, curling into the fetal position and throwing her arms over her head in a vain attempt to protect herself. When she wasn’t immediately crushed, she snapped her head up to see Chat Noir knelt over her with the dilapidated slab on his shoulders, arms shaking. “Marinette, you need to get out of here!” He growled through clenched teeth, eyes watering from the swirling dust. Thinking quickly, the bluenette grabbed his staff off his back and extended it vertically, taking the weight off him. They both held the staff tightly to keep it from slipping.</p>
<p>“Let go!” Chat Noir was basically pleading with her now. “You let go!” She shot back on impulse, forgetting for a second that she wasn’t suited up. The black cat gaped at her, desperately confused and frustrated, “Are you insane? Do you have <em>any </em>self-preservation instincts?” In any other circumstance, she would’ve been offended, but she supposed that was a fair question in this instance. She snorted irritably and reluctantly let go of the staff, but she didn’t leave yet. Shucking off her jacket, she ripped a decent strip off the bottom and wrapped it around his torso to cover the gash and hopefully stop the bleeding. He watched her in amazement, grunting when she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “Please be careful,” He barely heard her over the sounds of the akuma tantrum, “you’re more important than you think.”</p>
<p>Then she finally slipped out of the hazardous space and took off down an alley where she could find a better place to transform again. Chat Noir was left in a weird, confused daze. He wasn’t entirely sure if that actually happened or if he was passed out from blood loss somewhere and dreamt the whole thing. He shook himself, catapulting out from under the fallen structure and retrieving his staff before rushing to rejoin the fight. Rena Rouge and Carapace were doing pretty well for themselves, but once he and Ladybug returned, it went much smoother.</p>
<p>As the spotted hero was mending the damage around them, Chat’s wound was healed, and he untied the ripped jacket from his torso. He stared at the piece of cloth as the others celebrated for winning such a tough battle. Marinette had been acting so confusing lately. If she wasn’t careful, he might start to think she cared about him.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>4: Kwami Coddling</strong>
</p>
<p>If Gabriel Agreste ever found out that his son ditched a very important, potential business partner, Adrien would surely be sacrificed to the Textile Gods. In his defense, he hadn’t done it on purpose. The venue booked for this bureaucratic frat party was massive and confusing. Not only was he struggling to remember even <em>one</em> name that’d been spat at him in the two hours he’d been there, but he was also having to constantly keep Plagg from devouring the entire buffet table in one go. This meant he’d made four or five trips down the line already, filled at least six plates with various cheeses and breads; he could tell the only reason nobody had outwardly commented was out of politeness. The stares were enough, though.</p>
<p>All this work, and still, his irritating tiny powerhouse managed to slip away sometime between tolerating the mayor’s bad jokes and being approached by the man he was there to see in the first place. They hadn’t even settled into a conversation when Adrien realized Plagg was not in his tuxedo’s inner pocket. He excused himself to use the restroom, eyes frantically scoping out the corners and ceilings of the place. The black cat kwami zipping around unchecked was a mildly terrifying idea. Thankfully, the little bastard was predictable enough. Adrien noticed servers occasionally disappearing behind a well-disguised set of swinging doors that could only lead to a kitchen.</p>
<p>Setting his shoulders and acting like he knew where he was going, he headed that way. He passed a server on his way in, who didn’t even spare him a glance except to apologize for stepping around him. Currently, the place was empty. Pre-prepared dishes were set out on the counters, ready to fill any empty spots on the buffet table. The party sounds were muffled by the heavy walls, allowing Adrien to just barely catch the faint whispering and giggling coming from the back of the room. He quietly strode towards the noise, glancing around for any sign of Plagg. A thin, jutting wall separated him from whoever was talking, but in the reflection of the steel surfaces around, he could make out a vaguely familiar face.</p>
<p>It was a girl, he could tell that much from her voice. Her words were too low to properly make out, but her tone was sweet and amused. Adrien narrowed his eyes as a black blob flitted around in the reflection of an oven door. “Plagg!” He hissed under his breath, knowing the kwami would hear him. Plagg froze, then very slowly floated out from behind the wall with a sheepish grin, “Oho, oh! Hey, Kiddo!” Adrien crossed his arms and tapped his foot in irritation, quirking an eyebrow, “What the hell are you doing?”</p>
<p>The person Plagg had been talking to stepped into view, hand covering her eyes which he was certain were closed, as well. “Hey, Chat,” Marinette giggled, her pigtails bobbing as she ducked her head, “What are you doing here?” Adrien froze, acutely aware of just how easy it would be for her to ruin his secret identity. He swallowed, shooting eye daggers at his kwami, “I could ask you the same thing.” He didn’t know she was attending this party, or why. He hadn’t seen her anywhere earlier, but she was certainly dressed for the occasion. Also, kind of weird that she was hiding out in the kitchen. The bluenette shuffled her feet, biting her lip shyly and debating how to answer before she settled on, “Touché.” They stared awkwardly at each other. Or rather, Adrien stared awkwardly, and Marinette faced him with blind eyes and a kind smile like this wasn’t the weirdest thing that had happened all day.</p>
<p>Instead of dwelling on the subject, Adrien turned to Plagg and scolded, “What were you thinking? I spent the last two hours making myself look like a maniac cleaning off the buffet just so you can run off and nearly blow our cover?”</p>
<p>“The buffet didn’t have any camembert!” Plagg whined insufferably, zooming in circles around Marinette’s head, “and I did not nearly blow our cover. It’s just Marinette.” Adrien rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, pinching the bridge of his nose to stave off a headache. “You’re lucky it was just me,” The bluenette waggled her finger at nothing, which was comical because she was still covering her eyes. However, her voice didn’t sound the least bit serious, especially when Plagg nuzzled her cheek and she giggled, scratching him gently under the chin.</p>
<p>Something about her interacting with his kwami sent a completely ludicrous wave of butterflies through Adrien’s stomach. His cheeks reddened in color and he sucked in a breath, furrowing his brow. At least basic knowledge of kwamis was semi-public, because this would be really hard to explain otherwise. Adrien shook his head in disapproval over the situation, but his resolve was slipping. Plagg sighed dramatically and twirled away from the bluenette, calling, “Sadly, we must part! My charge is a stick in the mud. He’d never understand our love.” The blonde model put his hands on his hips, scoffing. Marinette laughed, teasingly waving in their general direction, “You’re very sweet, Plagg, but I know better than to get caught up with the likes of you.” Plagg sniffed indignantly, pride momentarily wounded, “you seem just fine getting caught up with Chat Noir. He’s the likes of me.”</p>
<p>“Plagg,” Adrien trapped his kwami between his hands, turning an apologetic frown to Marinette even though she couldn’t see, “I’m sorry about him. He can be a handful.” He expected her to shrug it off, make some comment about how she was not “getting caught up” with him. Instead, she dipped her head slightly and- was that a blush on her neck? “it’s okay,” She assured him, taking a few steps back until she was leaned against a counter, “he’s kinda charming, in his own way.” The black cat kwami tittered and brushed his whiskers out of his face as Adrien groaned, “Great, that ego boost will last him all month.”</p>
<p>Two servers entered the kitchen, then, and Plagg ducked back into Adrien’s suit jacket. They didn’t say anything to Adrien or Marinette, or even care that she was covering her eyes while facing him. They were too focused on their job. Once they’d exited again, the bluenette cleared her throat and said, “I had better get going. I’m not actually supposed to be here, I was just, uh.. looking for someone.” Adrien’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline, head tilting curiously, “Oh.. okay. Well, it was nice to see you, anyway.” She nodded fervently, gesturing to her covering hand as she chuckled, “Nice to, um, hear you.”</p>
<p>He hesitated a moment, then turned and hurried back out into the main room. Plagg was snickering in his pocket, which he gently squashed to silence him. That was weird. Right? Running into Marinette at an honorary ball was one thing, running into her during an akuma fight was another; but here? Who was she even looking for? The vision of her coddling Plagg cropped back up in his mind, sending a new wave of nerves rolling in his belly. Why was that cute? Though he watched the kitchen door as much as he could the rest of the night, he never caught her leaving. Thankfully though, he’d managed to rejoin that potential business partner he was supposed to be schmoozing, and the guy didn’t seem that put off that Adrien had been gone so long. Bad luck avoided once again. He’d take that as a win.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>5: They Leave the Plaza A Disaster</strong>
</p>
<p>The Chat Noir fan club started to gain some traction after Alya offered to host a column for it on the Ladyblog. While Marinette never actually wrote anything for it, she was made an admin on the site and given the title of Cat Club President; she responded to posts in the column and sometimes shared her opinions on theories, but mostly, she was the sole proprietor of Chat Noir merchandise. While she kept her original hoodie as a one-of-a-kind for herself, the t-shirts and pins she’d made were fairly popular among Ladybug and Chat Noir fans alike. A lot of people expressed their excitement over the fan club once they had a platform to. Turns out, the black cat had more solo fans than he’d realized. He even recognized a few of them in the crowds after akuma attacks.</p>
<p>Since the formation of the club, Lila hadn’t participated much outside of the passing comment. Adrien had never seen her wear the shirt or any kind of pin. It made him that much more thankful he’d spoken up for Marinette because, unlike Lika, she was wholly invested. She kept a pin on her bag and wore the replica ring every day. Alya had teasingly asked several times if she ever took it off to begin with. He still didn’t understand why Marinette was such a big fan of Chat Noir; she seemed so similar to Ladybug, he would’ve thought she’d relate to her more. But maybe it wasn’t about relating.</p>
<p>After all, his feelings towards Ladybug weren’t because he related to her.</p>
<p>Comparing his love for Ladybug to Marinette’s admiration for Chat Noir felt a little weird because, in his mind, it implied she was crushing on the cat hero. Surely that wasn’t true, she knew nothing about him. Although, what did he really know about Ladybug? She was a lot more reserved and private than he was in costume.</p>
<p>After the barrage of attacks a few weeks ago, akuma activity had abruptly declined in frequency. The whole of Paris was getting antsy anticipating the next one. While she could hope, Marinette knew it would be naïve to believe Hawk Moth had given up. Still, it had been a long time since the villain took a break this long. It was almost a relief when a crash sounded from elsewhere in the school, the tension breaking as students automatically got up for the evacuation protocol. The calm didn’t last long, though, as screaming was already starting downstairs. Marinette tried to make sure everyone was out the door safely so she could use the classroom to transform, but Adrien was stubborn about her going with the rest of the students.</p>
<p>As bodies rushed past her, the bluenette leaned over the railing to see a modestly sized akuma with big tusks and one single eye. His body was covered in plated armor except his neck, which sported a mesh choker that <em>had</em> to be where the akuma was. Good, this would be a quick fight. “Marinette!” Alya grabbed her arm before she could disappear anywhere, dragging her after the redhead and Nino. “Wait, Alya!” The bluenette tried to protest but couldn’t think of an excuse as to why she should stay. That was, until the beast chucked a vending machine in their direction. Marinette shoved her best friend forward and toppled back as the machine crashed into the balcony where they’d previously been, crushing a support pillar.</p>
<p>Shaking her head, Marinette barely heard Alya’s voice calling for her as the ceiling caved in. She was yanked forcibly clear of the debris, sharp claws briefly digging into her shoulders. Whipping her gaze up, the bluenette stared as Chat Noir hauled her to her feet. “Are you okay, Marinette?” He asked hurriedly, dragging her by the wrist towards the flight of stairs on the other side of the school plaza. She didn’t know how to answer, shocked that he had gotten to the fight so quickly and a little embarrassed that he had to save her <em>again</em>. They rushed to ground level while the villain roared behind them, slamming his fist down and narrowly missing them each time.</p>
<p>They ducked into the locker room and Marinette rounded on Chat Noir with purpose, “You go fight, I’ll be fine!” She really needed him to leave so she could transform without blowing her cover, but his stubborn response surprised her. “I’m not leaving you yet,” He hissed, standing in front of her protectively with his staff drawn. The akuma couldn’t fit through the locker room doorway, but it had broken a tall window and was trying to squeeze itself through, thrashing its long arms in their direction. The black cat glanced around them desperately, looking for another way out. He cursed under his breath when he didn’t find one, resigned to admit, “I just have to hold it off until Ladybug gets here.”</p>
<p>Ladybug wasn’t getting here at this rate. Marinette resisted the strong urge to facepalm, huffing, “You don’t need Ladybug to take it, Chat.”</p>
<p>“While I appreciate the vote of confidence, Marinette,” The cat hero grunted as he deflected a flying chunk of wall the monster had hurled at them, “I do kind of need her to capture the akuma.” Well, he had her beat there. Or did he? Marinette leaned over his shoulder to glare at the monster still struggling to get at them through the broken window. The wall around it was starting to splinter dangerously. Biting her lip, the bluenette squeezed Chat Noir’s shoulder and suggested, “What about your cataclysm?”</p>
<p>He tensed under her touch, briefly distracted as he glanced back at her, “What? How would that even work?” His green eyes were wide, feline pupils narrowed to slits. Marinette’s own bluebells blinked hesitantly as she shrugged, “It’s worth a shot, right?” The black cat snorted as the akuma villain finally broke through to their hiding place, tumbling to the floor with the sudden momentum. Chat Noir kept himself between the threat and Marinette as they rushed to exit back into the plaza. He forced her under the stairs, out of sight as the beast cried in frustration and squeezed itself back through the dilapidated window. “It won’t be worth anything if the akuma escapes,” The black cat told her matter-of-factly. He was right, of course, but maybe Marinette could find a way to transform by then and it would be fine.</p>
<p>“Chat,” The bluenette grasped his hand, surprising them both with her insistence, “you can do this.” Their eyes locked for a second, the replica ring feeling heavy between their fingers, and it was almost too intimate for Marinette to maintain eye contact. Whatever she’d just sparked between them was unexpected, to say the least. Peeling his gaze away, Chat growled something unintelligible, then squeezed her hand back and demanded, “Stay here. Don’t you dare move.” She nodded instinctively and he took a deep breath before rushing out into the middle of the clearing.</p>
<p>He whistled, drawing the monster’s attention. It roared and clambered towards him, swinging both arms down with murderous intent. The black cat easily dodged, rolling to the side and diving forward to take a swing at the back of the akuma villain’s knees. It howled as its legs buckled and its heavy body pitched forward, arms flailing. Marinette was craning her neck over the stairs to watch with wide eyes.</p>
<p>She forgot she was supposed to be finding somewhere to transform until Tikki tugged on her pigtails, “Marinette, Chat Noir needs Ladybug’s help!” She probably had lost her mind somewhere between breakfast that morning and now, but she immediately shook her head. The bug kwami gaped, speechless, but Marinette didn’t give her a chance to speak in the first place, “No, Tikki, he doesn’t.” And she whole-heartedly believed it. If she let him prove it, maybe the citizens of Paris would believe it, too.</p>
<p>Chat Noir was mostly dodging for now, trying to think of the best way he could get at the akuma and be able to immediately cataclysm it without pause. The more he thought about it, the more he regretted even agreeing to try this. Why did he listen to Marinette so easily? Ladybug would be so disappointed if he let an akuma get away and multiply. <em>This is stupid, this is stupid, this is stupid-</em></p>
<p>While chasing the cat hero in circles, the lumbering giant lost its balance and tripped into the staircase, thankfully catching itself on the adjacent balcony before it could completely crush the structure. Marinette shrieked in surprise and fear, cowering under the farthest corner she could fit into. “Marinette!” Chat abandoned his reservations and any strategy he thought might work, pouncing onto the monster’s back and steering it away from the bluenette’s hiding space. He couldn’t afford to hesitate anymore. Ladybug was absent from this fight, or she would’ve been there already, so he had to do this himself whether he thought he could or not.</p>
<p>With the angry beast tossing itself about, reaching over its shoulders to try and grab him, he gritted his teeth and leapt upward towards the mesh choker because it was the only accessory he could feasibly imagine held the akuma. His claws shredded the material, and as the black butterfly floated into the sky, he vaulted off the villain’s shoulders and stretched as far up as he could to grab it. “Cataclysm!” His voice was strained, hoping beyond hope that he managed to get ahold of the pest. He rolled when he hit the ground, sitting on his knees hunched over with ragged breath.</p>
<p>Marinette cautiously crept out from under the stairs as the villain bubbled and shrunk back down to the size of an unassuming high school boy. Straggler students who hadn’t been able to escape the building peaked their heads out of classrooms and hallways. Chat Noir stood, blinking his eyes against the sun and glancing around himself nervously. He slowly looked down at his clenched fist, fingers unfurling to let the glowing, purple remnants of akuma ash be whisked away in the wind. “Ha!” Marinette pumped both fists in the air, beaming from ear to ear. The superhero fixed her with a surprised grin, meeting her in the middle of the wrecked plaza.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe that worked,” Chat shook his head, hands squeezing Marinette’s biceps. She gripped his forearms in excitement, bouncing on her heels, “I told you!” He shook his head, hanging it briefly, then asking more urgently, “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>“I’m totally fine,” The bluenette vowed, crossing her heart. He laughed incredulously, squeezing her arms with a fondness she wasn’t prepared to feel from him, “You’re something else, Marinette.” She met his gaze, feeling a strange flutter in her chest. Even as the front doors burst open and students and staff came pouring back in, she couldn’t look away. Chat furrowed his brow, tipping his head quizzically. Something must have been silently, mutually communicated because they suddenly pulled each other into a tight embrace. Marinette was surprised to find she liked how warm he was.</p>
<p>“Mari!” Alya’s worried exclamation broke them a part. The bluenette was swept into a group hug with several of her classmates, Chat Noir looking amused as he stood away from them. Alya squished Marinette’s cheeks as she scolded, “Don’t you ever do that again! You had me worried sick!”</p>
<p>“I’m fine, <em>Mom</em>,” Marinette giggled teasingly, accepting the back pats and high fives offered. She turned to the black cat hero as he made to climb out of the school. “Hey, Chat Noir!” She hailed him, raising a hand in goodbye. He looked down at her, crouched on the gutter as his tail curled behind him. She didn’t have to raise her voice for him to hear as she promised, “You stand on your own in my eyes.” His face contorted in a mixture of gratitude and something deeper, his mouth opening to respond but no sound coming out. His gaze faltered for a moment, then he awarded her a genuine smile and disappeared over the sloped roof.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Chat Noir’s Biggest Fan<br/></strong>
</p>
<p>Chat Noir fighting an akuma without Ladybug had two consequences Marinette hadn’t thought about before: the press wondering why the hell Ladybug wasn’t present for an akuma attack and the damage caused by said attack not being magically reversed. On the other hand, however, Chat Noir’s apparent ability to destroy akumas was big talk right now, which meant the spotlight was shining just a little in his direction for once. The media hadn’t been able to get to the school in time to bombard him and were left with only the eye-witness accounts of the few students who’d been inside the building at the time.</p>
<p>Which also meant Marinette herself, because Alya had a big mouth and couldn’t resist bragging about how her best friend had been fiercely protected by the cat hero. As Ladybug, reporters were easy to deal with, but as a civilian it was overwhelming. They didn’t have the same respect for her personal space and frequently skipped any questions she stuttered the answer to. She found herself nervously fiddling with the replica ring and avoiding making direct eye contact with any of them, which only led to one of the fan club members recognizing the ring and her. Only when the questions shifted to more personal ones about Marinette’s “fancy” for the black cat did Alya finally intervene and drag her out of there.</p>
<p>Schoolwork had to be temporarily hosted online while the building was repaired. Marinette was totally fine with that because it meant she didn’t have a set schedule and could complete it at her leisure. It also left her with a lot of free time to get merch orders out faster. But tonight, she was taking a break to do some design sketches on her roof. A new idea was rattling around her skull and she needed to get it out in order to focus on her normal work. Her stylus glided pleasingly across her tablet screen, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she lost herself in the process.</p>
<p>The night air was warm, and the city lights were twinkling. At some point in her drifting state, Marinette’s thoughts wandered to a certain black cat, which was strange because normally she daydreamed about Adrien. Pausing to analyze this strange turn of events, her pen stopped and she looked up at nothing, brow furrowed. It was quiet outside her head, only the breeze whistling across the rooftops. The faint clink of metal drew her attention upwards, freezing in the green gaze of the very person she’d just caught herself thinking about. Was her mind really that loud?</p>
<p>“Chat Noir?” She balked intelligently, sitting up some as he dropped from her roof onto the balcony. “Hey, Marinette,” He greeted her cheerily, comfortably perching himself on the end of the lounge chair she occupied. His tail flicked, eyes holding a mischievous glint. For a second, Marinette was convinced he’d heard her thinking about him. Why else would he be looking at her like that? Her deer-in-the-headlights expression must have been amusing because he smirked and her anxiety spiked further. “That’s a nice jacket you’ve got there,” His tone was much too syrupy. Marinette glanced down at herself and let out an almost hysterical laugh. That’s why he was acting like that; she was wearing the hoodie themed after him.</p>
<p>With a shrug, the bluenette asked, “You think so?” He nodded enthusiastically, chuckling with her. The tension left her shoulders as she leaned against the chair back, stretching her foot to nudge against his knee, “Are you on a patrol?” The cat hero sucked in a breath through his teeth, ears twitching backwards sheepishly as he glanced down at the ground, “Ah, no. Actually, I came over here looking for you.” Marinette frowned in confusion, sitting up again and setting her tablet aside. “What’s wrong?” She asked, taking in his nervous body language. At her question, though, he raised his head and shook it insistently, “Oh no, nothing’s wrong! Um, kind of the opposite, really.. I just..” His claws tapped the chair frame as he debated how to word whatever he was going to say.</p>
<p>Marinette didn’t push, crossing her legs and clasping her hands patiently in her lap. Despite the anticipation, the company was still comfortable. Finally, after shifting his body to face her more, Chat Noir cleared his throat and said, “I wanted to thank you. For the dance at the ball.. and the fan club.. and-.. believing in me when it felt like nobody wanted to. I really.. really appreciate what you’ve been trying to do for me, and I wanted you to know that I noticed.” Marinette was surprised, the wide-eyed look back in place. The longer she held his gaze, the more the hair stood up on the back of her neck; she had to look away before a shiver could break over her.</p>
<p>Her silence was less than encouraging. Chat Noir’s eyes fell to the chair cushion as he nervously licked his lips. Maybe he was reading all this wrong? At the very least, he assumed she was trying to be nice to him, but maybe <em>that</em> wasn’t even the case. His ears drooped sadly and that was the metaphorical straw Marinette needed to come out of her dumb silence. “I was afraid you wouldn’t,” She blurted, drawing her knees up to her chest, “notice, I mean.. I was afraid you wouldn’t notice, so I’m really glad that you did.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” The black cat’s sigh of relief was breathy. “Sorry,” Marinette cringed at herself, crossing her arms over her knees and avoiding his eyes as she admitted, “I’m not really great with stuff like this.” The lounge chair creaked as Chat folded his legs under himself, his belt tail settling so the tip flicked against her foot, “Stuff like what?” The bluenette stiffened as she stammered, “A-Are we not about to have a heart to heart?”</p>
<p>Chat Noir’s laugh melted every ounce of her worry, leaving her feeling warm and light. “It doesn’t have to be that deep, Marinette,” He affirmed, still chuckling. His eyes crinkled endearingly behind the mask, tail thumping. She giggled despite herself, feeling a blush creep up her neck. “I did want to ask why, though,” He fidgeted with a string on the chair, curling it around his fingers. “Why,” Marinette repeated to herself, as if she also wanted to know. Chat nodded, “Why you care about me so much.” It wasn’t framed with room for argument. <em>If</em> Marinette cared wasn’t what he questioned; he was asking <em>why</em> she cared. They were good friends as Ladybug and Chat Noir, but she couldn’t tell him that. Besides, that wasn’t the only reason. Truthfully, she didn’t fully understand it herself. He’d been more commonplace in her thoughts than usual lately. And he deserved to have <em>someone</em> care, didn’t he?</p>
<p>“Well, don’t you think someone should?” Was the answer she settled on. It left room for possibilities outside of the one her logical mind was rapidly zeroing in on. Something tender and vulnerable flashed across Chat Noir’s face, signaling he understood she meant more than what the words meant at surface level. <em>She</em> believed someone should care about him, s<em>he</em> believed he deserved that. Marinette wasn’t Chat Noir’s biggest fan; Marinette was Chat Noir’s biggest supporter.</p>
<p>Growing up, Adrien hadn’t had the privilege to experience friendship the way he could now. He’d never had sleepovers or shared that special connection that really made someone your best friend. He had that with Nino, now. Whatever he was feeling towards Marinette in that moment was dangerously close to surpassing it. Before he could do something stupid – like cry – the black cat glanced to her tablet and asked, “Were you working on fashion designs?” Marinette could tell he was holding back an emotional breakdown and she wasn’t at all prepared to deal with that right now, so she gratefully allowed the change of subject. “Yeah,” She confirmed, scooting over and laying back on the lounger with a new, empty space next to her. Her silent invitation was much appreciated. And if Chat Noir napped with his head on her shoulder, and if she sometimes rested her cheek on his temple, no one needed to know that.</p>
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